Top Ten from Texas

 I am back from my trip to Dallas.  Here are ten favorites (ok, 13) to share.

The purpose for the trip was to help Ashley and Brandon get ready for their big move to Australia.  There was a lot of packing, a lot of cleaning and a lot of baby holding.  All good things.

Amidst all that work, we did take one day to have some fun at the Dallas Zoo.  Ashley planned to take us to the Botanical Gardens where they had a pumpkin village set up and all kinds of beautiful autumn displays made with pumpkins, squash, and gourds, but the weather didn't cooperate and we decided walking around in the rain without much protection didn't sound like fun. The zoo on the other hand, had places we could get out of the rain.

Several weeks ago, I heard there was a male gorilla at the Dallas Zoo that was a chauvinist to the female gorillas.  I have no way of knowing if this gorilla is the culprit, but I'd say chances are pretty good this is him.  That made me laugh.

This is Mapua, one of the baby cheetahs born earlier this summer.  We were at the right place at the right time and got to see him being led around and playing with the Lab puppy, Amani.  

Tanner high atop one of the bronze elephants.

A very nice man offered to snap a picture of all of us while we were waiting for the baby cheetah to come out.

Talmage played chase with a monitor lizard, pacing back and forth.  This particular breed is found in Western Australia.  A fact which is of high interest to this clan.

We ended our rainy day at the zoo with a ride on the carousel.  

Halloween also happened while I was there.  It seems that super heroes were the costume of choice for many Trick-or-Treaters, including this cute little bunch.  If you are wondering how Captain America was able to navigate the streets with his mask halfway covering his eyes, you are not alone!  I for one was amazed he didn't fall once because his mask was truly in the same spot all night long!  :)

 There was also time for Talmage's last T-ball game.  He was Johnny-on-the-spot when he played pitcher, and got the ball to first the majority of the time.  This was great fun to watch...much less painful than when we did it with our own kids.  Maybe there is a Grandparent Spell that makes things like this seem different.  :)

Moving to Australia is not easy.  This is the final Dallas packing of the suitcases that will go on the plane with them.  There were 5 packing boxes shipped earlier that day that should have gotten there at the end of last week.  Each suitcase and box has to be itemized and of course, not weigh too much.

Tanner had to eat his last dinner on a makeshift table.  There was not a stick of furniture to be found on the main floor by Monday night.

My first impulse was to throw this picture out because of the blurry image on the left hand side, which is really the cutest baby around, but it captures him perfectly.  He is forever moving and scanning the premises.  He does not want to miss a thing!!!

 Tuesday morning, we finished the last of the packing and cleaning, and loaded up for the airport.  We flew to Salt Lake and spent the rest of the day at the Clegg's, and then drove down to Mapleton to visit Alli and Ryan.  Time was too short, but we did get to eat yummy Italian food with them, and spend a little time catching up and checking out their apartment.

The next morning, I got up, and headed home to Idaho.  It was a long, but not gruesome trip, and I made it in good time.  I drove John's "new" car, and it was good.  Since it was new to me, I didn't know when to plan my pit stops, and so ended up stopping in Bliss, Idaho.  While the gas was pumping, I had to snap this picture of the Amber Inn.  Here is why...

Every time we drive to Utah, if we go the McCall way, we pass the Ashley Inn and two Amber Inns.  One, as I said, is in Bliss, and the other is in Eden, Idaho.  (By the way, Eden, Idaho is also the home of a crazy place called The Garden of Eden, which is a truck stop Ashley and I stopped at when we were road-tripping from Dallas to Seattle.  Funny, funny place!)

As you can see from my comparison photos, there is quite a difference between the two.  It has been a fun little tradition to make a comment or two about the style of each place of lodging.  You may imagine that Amber would love to have the names of the Inns switched and is so disappointed whenever we drive past the one she shares her name with.  Ahh, memories...

And now I am home, back to my regular life...already missing 3 little boys and their mom and dad, who will be ex-pats in Perth for the next year, at least.  Sigh!!!

And to follow up - I had my interview with the school board tonight.  I can only think of one comment I made that I wished I could retract, but overall, I thought it went pretty well.  I did receive a call a little over an hour after I got home and was informed that another name has been chosen to bring to the board meeting later this month.  Easy come, easy go.  If nothing else, I feel very courageous for even turning in my application.  That was a quick, scary decision, and I really can't believe I actually did it! Yay for me!